Casing or cabinet structure for water heaters and the like



Dec. 3, 1940. c. H. MORROW 2,223,769

CASING 0R CABINET STRUCTURE FOR WATER HEATERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.- 4

FIG-I INVENTOR CLARENCE H. MORROW BY wfia fl 7% ATTORN EYS Dec. 3, 19400 c. H. MORROW CASING 0R CABINET STRUCTURE FOR WATER HEATERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w W m RR m0 W v J mE ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES QPAT'ENT OFFICE v CASING OR CABINET STRUCTURE FORWA- TER HEATERS AND THE LIKE Application February 25, 193$,Serial No; 192,449

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in casing or cabinet structures for water heaters or the like.

' The general object of the present invention is 5' the provision, for a water heater or the like, of a casing or cabinet structure which includes a minimum number of exceptionally sturdy parts capable of being economically manufactured and readily assembled, with the result that the preslll ent. casing or cabinet structure is of inexpensive form and of exceptionally rugged character.

A more specific object of the present invention is the provision of a casing or cabinet structure for a water heater in which the burner thereof is located relatively close to the floor or other surface upon which the casing or cabinet structure rests, and which casing or cabinet structure is of such construction that the temperature at such floor or other surface is effectively held below the degree specified by building codesand the like,

even during prolonged periods of operation of such burner.

Another more specific objectof the present invention is the provision of a water heater casing or cabinet structure in which the flue opening and the water and fuel pipe openings may be provided either in the top wall thereof or inthe side wall thereof, the latter location of such openings leaving the top wall of the casing or cabinet structure of imperforate character. for table top use,

as will hereafter more fully appear.

Other objects of the present invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

. '35 The present invention will be readily understood from the following description of two embodiments thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a water heater having 40 a casing or cabinet structure embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof, on the line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional 1,

view thereof, on the line 4--4, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of a water heater having a casing or cabinet structure embodying a modified form of the present invention.

. Before the present invention is described in detail, it is to be understood that such invention is not limited to the details of construction and/or the specific arrangement of parts herein illustrated and/or described, as the invention obviously may take other forms. It also is to be 1 65 understood that the phraseology or terminology herein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, inasmuch as-there is no intention and no desire to limit the present invention, as herein disclosed and as defined inthe appended claims, beyond the requirements of the. :5 prior art.

.Although certain features of the present'invention are applicable to casing-or cabinet structures may, .andheredoes, extend therebelow. To prevent heat loss, suitable insulationisprovided for such reservoir, and in the embodimentsof the invention-here illustrated-suitable, insulation I2 is wrapped around-the reservoir side-wall ll, in-. 25 eluding its depending extension, and for the protection and maintenance of such insulation, an enclosing metal shell may be provided, therefor, if desired. Suitable-insulation I3 is alsoprovided for the upper end of thewater reservoir tllhsuch "30 as rock wool insulation or the like placed upon "the crowned top wall of the reservoir; within the extended upper end of the insulated reservoir "side wall I I. If desired, simple metal cover member' I5 maybe provided for the upper end of the;,35 reservoir, as here rshown and as will be readily understood.

Within the depending extension of the water reservoir side wall II, and between the reservoir base plate lii and a transverse metal .partition go member 'l'! to be hereinafter referred to, is. a chamberlB for the burner IQ of the water heater, said burner beingof any suitable form and with which may be .used any suitable type of fluid fuel, such as gas Inasmuch as the fuel supply .means 5 for such burner, and the various controlstherefor, such as thermostats, etc., constitute. nopart of the present invention, they arenot here, shown. They may, if desired, be ofthe character and have the; arrangement shown in my co-pending so application for a Water'heater, application Serial No. 73,510, filed April 9, 1936 So far asthisinvention is concerned, it is sufiicient to'here, point out that arcompartment 201s provided in the 'present casing or cabinet structure, between the portion" 33.

front portion of the side wall thereof and the insulated water reservoir side wall, and that in such compartment, the fuel supply pipes, controls, etc. may be arranged, a suitable opening 22 being provided in the insulated depending extension of such reservoir side wall for the extension of the burner fuel supply pipes, etc.

Communicating with the burner chamber i3 and extending upwardly through the water reservoir It is a suitable flue pipe 24 for the products of combustion formed in such chamber. Communicating with the water reservoir I0 is a cold water inlet pipe 25 and a hot water withdrawal pipe 25, as is usual. I

The casing or cabinet structure constituting the present invention is of exceedingly simple and of exceptionally rigid character, and comprises a minimum number of inexpensively formed parts which are capable of being easily and quickly assembled.

- In both of the embodiments of the invention hereillustrated, the" casing or cabinet structure includes a simple one-piece side wall and base member A, economically and conveniently formed as a metal stamping and bent to provide a side wall and a base, the side wall comprising a front portion tlhside portions SI and 32, and a'rear The longitudinal edge portions of such'member A areinterconnected or joined in any suitable manner, such as by the simple but efiective lock seam here shown, said seam forming a part of the rear side wall portion 33 of the casing or cabinet structure so that such seam is not normally exposed to view.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the front portion 33 of the one-piece side wall and base member A is provided with a suitable door opening 38 and with inwardly extending flanges surrounding such opening, there being at the topof said opening an inwardly extending flange 39 which terminates in a shortdepending shoulder 49; at the bottom of said opening an inwardly extending'flange 4i; and at the two sides of said opening inwardly extending flanges 42 which terminate in relatively short and laterally disposed converging shoulders it. The door l5for such door opening 38 is here shown as a simple onepiece metal stamping, with inturned edge flanges, there being an inturned top flange t6 and inturned side flanges 41, for cooperation respectively with the front wall flange shoulders and 43 in --limiting inward movement of such door, and an inturned bottom flange 48 having a'depending extension 49 for hooking cooperation with the front wall bottom flange H in securing the bottom portion of the door in closing position. Forreleasably securing the top portionof' said door in closing position, any suitable means may be utilized, the means here shown for such purpose including a headed element 55! secured to the door on the inner surface thereof and'just below its top edge flange t6 and resilient arms 5! mounted either on the front wall top flange shoulder 60 or on a suitable metal strip secured thereto for the releasable retention of such headed element, all as will be readily understood.

For the Venting of the compartment 2% of the casing orcabinet structure, suitable louvers 53 are here provided in the door 65, one in its upper end portion and two in its lower end portion, said louvers also serving as a limited secondary air supply for the burner I 9.

i The baseof theone-piece side wall and base member A includes four downwardly and inwardly inclined base portions, there being an inclined front base portion 55 which constitutes a depending extension of the front wall portion 30, two inclined side base portions 56 and 57 which respectively constitute depending extensions of the side wall portions 3! and 32, and an inclined rear base portion 58 which constitutes a depending extension of the rear wall portion 33. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, each of said inclined base portions is here integrally provided at its lower end with an inwardly extending horizontally disposed flange 60 having a relatively short upturned inner end 6|. The four flanges thus formed rest upon the floor or other surface upon which the casing or cabinet structure is supported, and the width of said flanges is such that they define, at such floor or other surface, a centrally disposed base opening 64. In stamping the one-piece side wall and base member A, generally triangular notches are formed therein between those parts thereof which constitute the base portion of such member, as will be readily understood, so that after such member has been bent into its proper shape and the longitudinal edges thereof suitably joined or interconnected, as at 35, the adjacent side edges of the four inclined base portions (55, 56, 51 and 58) and the adjacent side edges ofthe flanges 60 thereof, including their upturned inner ends 6|, are welded or otherwise rigidly secured together or interconnected.

Horizontally arranged within the base part of the side wall and base member A, above and coextensive with the centrally disposed base opening 84 thereof, is a metal supporting plate 66 having a depending peripheral flange 61 which rests upon the horizontally disposed interconnected base flanges 60, with the consequent closing of the base opening 54. As here shown, the

dependingperipheral flange 51 of said support ing plate is provided with a horizontally disposed inward extension 58 for seating engagement upon the correspondingly disposed base flanges 60, and if desired, the base of the present casing or cabinet structure may be made more rigid, and hence more rugged, by welding or otherwise suitably connecting the inward extension 68 of said supporting plate 56 to such base flanges 60. As here shown, the inner end 69 of suchextension 58 is turned upwardly, and such upturned end is welded or otherwise rigidly connected with the upturned inner ends 6! of the baseflanges 60,

thereby providing a casing or cabinet structure having a base of particularly strong and sturdy character.

Arranged above, and generally parallel with, the supporting plate 66 is 'the metal partition member H heretofore referred to and which constitutes the bottom wall of the burner chamber l8. As shown, said partition plate rests upon and is maintained in spaced relationship relative to such supporting plate 66 by suitable spacing means, the means here shown comprising two metal channel bars 13, one lying upon and extending along each side edge portion of such supporting plate 66. i

As best shown in Figs. 1 and '3, the channel bars 13 are located beneath the annular side wall ll of the waterreservoir l9, and such bars thus serve to distribute the weight of such reservoir over the supporting plate 66, with the effective transmission of such weight to the rigidly connected base portions structure. 3

To simplify the assembly of thepresent water of the casing or cabinet heater, the channel bars 13-may be welded or "otherwise suitably secured to the partition memextend through the two channel bars I3, through the partition member I1, and through suitable 1 clips or brackets I5 secured to such reservoir wall extensionall as clearly shown in the accompanying drawings.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the two side edges ofthe partition member I1 engage the side wall portions 3i and 32 of the side wall and base member A, and the rear edge of said partition member engages the rearwall portion .33 of such wall and base member, the effect of which is to tightly close the burner chamber I8 at its bottom. The frontedge of said partition member I? does not engage, however, the front wall portioni3il of the side wall and base member A, but

terminates short thereof, with the result that an elongated opening I8 is provided at the front of such partition member through which secondary air for the burner I9 may flow from the space l be between said partition member and the supporting plate 66 therebelow. For the supply of l air to the space 80, suitable air inlet openings for the fuel supply pipe but a flue pipe opening M and water pipeopenings 95 and 86 are showni flo iii are provided in the inclined rear base portion 58 and in the rear end part of each of the inclined side base portions 5t and 51, as best shown As a result of such a construction, secondary air for the burner I9 flows through the inlet openings BI, at the rear of the base of the present casing or cabinet structure, to the space 89 between the supporting plate 66 and the partition member ll, and thence through the elongated opening 58 at the front of the base to the inlet opening 22 of the burner chamber I8, said burner chamber inlet opening being in the depending extension of the insulated wall II of the water reservoir in, as heretofore pointed out. The flow of this relatively cool air acrossthe supporting plate 66 effectively cools the floor or other surface therebelow, so that the temperature at such floor or other surface does not rise above the degree specified by building codes, etc., even during prolonged or extended periods of operation of the burner E9. The space below the supporting plate 66 or, in other words, the space between such plate and the floor or other surface upon which the casing or cabinet structure rests, is a dead air space, which also aids in maintaining the temperature at such floor or other surface at a sufficiently low degree for complete safety, etc.

By making the base portions 55, 56, El and 58 of the casing or cabinet structure of downwardl and inwardly inclined form, the general appearance of the casing or cabinet structure not only is improved but also, additional toe room is provided at the base thereof. The location of air inlet openings 8| in the inclined rear base portion 58, a location most remote from the elongated air opening I8 at the front part of the base of the casing or cabinet structure, not only insures the maximum length of flow of the air entering such openings, with a consequent maxirnum cooling effect upon the supporting plate 86 and the floor or other surface therebelow, but also insures a proper flow of air at all times through such openings 8|, even though the rear side wall of the casing or cabinet structure is metal member 98.

placed closetotor. adjacent theyertical wall of ar'oom, as. isusual;

1 Thetopofithe waterheater casing or cabinet I structure, asrdisclosed in Figs; 1 to 4. inclusive, 1 is a simple one-piece metal stamping 9t having 5 a dependingperipheralflange 9|, the lower'end portion of which is telescopically associated with the .upperend portions of the four upright side wall portions of the casing or cabinet structure, that is, with side wall portion 30, 3I, 32 and 3310 ,iof the. one-piece sheet metal member A.

As will be readily understood, the depending peripheral flange SI of the top memberflfl may be of straight form, or .Of. any other suitable form, such as the. form here shown, in which the' upper portionof .such flange is of .outwardlyand downwardly inclined form. and the bottom portion,thereof is of straight form, for convenient telescopic relationship with the front, rear and side wall portions of the casing or cabinet structure.

Inthisernbodiment of the invention, the embodiment of, Figs, 1 to 4 inclusive, the flue pipe 24, the water pipes 25, 26, and the fuel supply pipe :.(not shown), extend through the top of=-" the casing orcabinet structure, so thatthe top member 98 thereof is provided with suitable openings therefor. No opening is here shown the opening 95 being for the cold water supply ipe 25 andthe opening 96 being for the hot water withdrawal pipe 25, all as will be readily understood. v

Inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated .in Fig. 5, the water heater flue opening sea, the

water pipe openings 85a, 96a, and the gas-supply .pipe opening (not shown), are located in the rear wall portion 33a of the casing or cabinet structure, and the top thereof is of flat imperfo rate form so that it may be conveniently used as a table top, the height of this casing or cabinet structure being substantially that of the ordinary table.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, a plain sheet metal member 98 covers the top opening provided by the front, rear and side wall portions of the casing 01' cabinet structure, with the depending peripheral flange 99 of such member 98 telescopically associated with the upper end portions of said wall portions and thus serving as a means to maintain them in proper position relative to one another. Suitably secured to the member 98 is the top member IQ!) of this casing or cabinet structure, and such top member may be provided, if desired, with a porcelain or enameled exterior. The top member I00 here shown is provided with a depending peripheral flange IIII having an inturned lower end I02, and arranged within such top member and extending along two sides thereof and held in place by the inturned lower end of the peripheral flange thereof are two strips or rails Hit, of wood or the like, and to which is secured, such as by screws I04, the sheet As a result, no strains are created in the top member I00, either in the assembly thereof or later, which might crack or otherwise mar the porcelain or enameled exterior thereof, all as will be readily understood. 7

To protect from heat that part of the lower end portion of the door 45 which is located directly opposite or in front of the opening 22 for the burner chamber I8, a suitable metal protecting strip I Il] may be provided for such door part. 7

The metal strip I I0 here shown in Fig. 3, has its lower end portion welded or otherwise suitably secured to the depending extension 49 of the door bottom flange 4B and has its forwardly offset upper end portion welded or otherwise suitably secured to an intermediate portion of the door, with the consequent protection of that part of said door which lies directly in front of the burner chamber opening 22.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

1. In a casing or cabinet for a water heater or the like having a burner chamber provided with an air inlet and with a bottom wall, a side wall structure having a bottom opening and adapted to surround said water heater or the like and to rest upon a floor or other supporting surface, and a closure member for said bottom opening, the central portion of said closure member being spaced from said side wall structure and being located between and spaced from said floor or other supporting surface and said burner chamber bottom wall by a depending peripheral flange with which said closure member is provided, said. closure member flange having sealing engagement with the lower end of said side wall struc- 3 ture around the bottom opening thereof, the lower end portion of said side wall structure being provided with air inlet means remotely located relative to the burner chamber air inlet, Wher-eby air entering the inlet means of said side wall structure travels to said burner chamber air inlet around the depending flange of the closure member and also between the central portion of said closure member and said burner chamber bottom wall, with a resultant cooling eifect upon said floor or other supporting surface.

2. In a casing or cabinet structure for a water heater, said water heater having a water reservoir and having a burner chamber with a sheet metal bottom wall, enclosing wall means for said water heater extending below said bottom wall and there having downwardly and inwardly inclined end portions adapted to rest upon a floor or other supporting surface, a substantially imperforate sheet metal closure member having a top wall spaced below said bottom wall and having a continuous edge flange turned substantially vertically downward, said edge flange being there attached to said end portions of said wall means, members supporting said reservoir, said lastnamed members resting on said closure member directly over its flange, and said last named members serving to space said closure member top wall and said burner chamber bottom wall.

3. In a casing structure for a water heater or the like having a burner chamber provided with an air inlet and with a bottom wall, a combined side wall and base comprising enclosing wall means for said water heater extending below and beneath said bottom wall and there provided with portions for contact with a floor or other supporting surface, said wall means having adjacent and continuous with said floor supporting portions a central portion spaced above the floor and spaced below said bottom wall, and said wall means below and beneath said bottom wall forming a substantially continuous and imperforate casing except that the lower end portion of said wall means is provided with air inlet means remotely located relative to said burner chamber air inlet, whereby air entering said air inlet means and traveling to said chamber air inlet passes over said floor contacting portions and be tween said central portion and said bottom wall with a resultant cooling effect.

CLARENCE H. MORROW. 

